This blog provides stories that Denyse O'Leary, a Toronto-based journalist, has found to be of interest, as she covers the growing intelligent design controversy. It supports her book By Design or by Chance? (Augsburg 2004). Does the universe - and do life forms - show evidence of intelligent design? If so, Carl Sagan was wrong and so is Richard Dawkins. Now what?

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Afternoon coffee!!: If Darwinists worked in the private sector

Darwinist: I.D. isn’t science. And if it’s not science, it isn’t true.

I.D. Proponent: Isn’t science the quest for truth about life and the universe?

Darwinist: Only if that quest is done within a materialist framework.

I.D. Proponent: But what if that quests needs to go OUTSIDE the materialist framework?

Darwinist: Then it’s not science. And thus, it's not true.

Let’s take this debate into the private sector…

Employee: Boss, I have a great idea. Instead of using typewriters, why don’t we start using computers? Computers are a lot faster and better.

Boss: Do computers use a mechanical process?

Employee: Well, yes – but what makes them better is their use of information technology.

Boss: We can’t use information technology.

Employee: Why not?

Boss: Because it’s outside the realm of mechanics. We decided a long time ago that work – by definition – can only be a mechanical process. Information theory (or any form of “mind”) must be ruled out.

Employee: Um, but computers are a lot better than typewriters! With computers, we can do twice as much work in half the time!

Boss: Sorry, get back to your typewriter.

In the private sector, that boss would never survive. How much longer can Darwinism survive?

How much longer? Well, that depends on the tactics they are allowed to use against anyone who questions them. Firing? Denial of tenure? Taking down the Web site? All have happened. If they get more desperate, more such incidents will happen.

The thing to remember about Darwinism is that the private sector doesn’t usually need much Darwinism. Its use in business is, in my experience, overblown and overrated. Business competition mostly takes place in a co-operative environment. Such an environment provides the roads, bridges, reliable energy, clean water, honest banking, law enforcement, open society, et cetera, that business needs in order to thrive.

Then competition becomes narrowly focused (= either you get the contract or he does); it is not a war of all against all. Competition functions conservatively, as a way of trimming the fat from business operations, resulting in lower prices for the same quality. One way to do this is through innovation, which is why the private sector thrives mainly on intelligent design.

Note: Stuff like the sketch above actually happened to me decades ago. It was futile trying to explain to many bosses what new technologies could do for us.